Chakravartin Ashoka Samrat

''Chakravartin Ashoka Samrat'' () is a 2015 Indian historical drama TV series that aired on Colors TV from 2 February 2015 to 7 October 2016. with Siddharth Nigam portraying the young version of the character.

Series is based on the life of Ashoka the third emperor of the Mauryan dynasty. The series tells the story of how he faced the problems outside and inside Magadha, eventually rising to become its ruler. The show premiered on 2 February 2015 with a 1-hour telecast duration for the first 20 episodes. The serial ended on 7 October 2016. It was awarded and named as the best Historical drama ever made.

Plot

This series starts when Magadha is ruled by Emperor Bindusara Maurya. Bindusara's step-mother, Helena conspires against him. Bindusara is attacked but is saved by a Brahmin woman in Champa named Dharma. Bindusara is amazed at her and marries her. Dharma then conceives a child. She refuses to visit royal palace with Bindusara, who promised her to return. Bindusara's third queen, Noor and her father, Mir Khorasan, seek to assassinate Dharma. Mir attacks Dharma and kills her father. He then sets her hut on fire. Bindusara assumes Dharma to be dead, but Dharma survives and gives birth to a son, Ashoka.

14 years later

Ashoka is now grown into a brave boy and lives with Dharma in a hamlet. Chanakya spots Ashoka and finds his truth, but promises Dharma to keep it a secret. Chanakya and his disciple, Radhagupta take them to Pataliputra disguising Dharma as a royal physician. Ashoka impresses Bindusara and they develop a bond, irritating Bindusara's eldest son, Sushim, his mother Charumitra, Mir Khorasan, Helena and her son, Justin. It is revealed that Justin and Noor have been having an affair for years and Siyamak is their child. Helena fixes Justin's marriage with Aghnishika the princess of Ujjain and Shushim falls in love with her sister Ahenkara. Later it revealed that it was pre planned by Helena and her father Seleucus to kill the Mauryan family. Ashok saves Bindusara from the fire and Ahenkara's father is killed. Justin is killed by Helena for betrayal after he claims responsibility for Helena's crimes. Eventually, Ashoka finds about his father and reunites Bindusara and Dharma. Helena came to know about Siyamak and accepts him to make him the Emperor of Maghdha. Shushim's marriage gets fixed with Ahnekara but due to their family rivalry he starts torturing her. Ashoka saves Ahenkara and her brother from Sushim being Angradhoodht but it creates a rift between Bindusara and Ashoka .Noor tries to overthrow Bindusara but is killed by Ashoka. Chanakya is trapped and set in fire by Helena, Khallatak, Charumitra, Sushim and Siamak. Ashoka saves him from fire and Chanakya dies asking Ashoka to become the Emperor and realise his dream of Akhanda Bharat. Ashoka is shattered and vows to catch the murderers.

Later, Ashoka succeeds in saving Taxila from Kichak. He falls in love with Kaurvaki, the princess of Kalinga. Mir Khorasan and Helena's father, Emperor Seleucus conspire to overthrow Bindusara but fail and are killed. While both are in prison, Helena reveals Ashoka about the murder of Chanakya and fakes a suicide. Ashoka is enraged and attempts to kill Sushim for which he is banished by Bindusara. Dharma and her newborn son Vitashoka (Vit) accompany him to Ujjain and Ashoka vows to come back stronger and avenge Chanakya's death.

10 years later

Ashoka, now known as Chand, has become a ruthless, angry man who just wants revenge. He lives with Dharma and Vit in the house of a merchant named Dhaniram. Dhaniram's daughter, Devi cares about them. Sushima has become stronger with the help of the black magic of Charumitra. Siamak has grown into a cool-headed man but thirsts for the death of Ashoka. Ashoka takes part in a wrestling contest with Sushim as Chand. Dharma and Vit come there and stop Ashoka. Bindusara recognises them, forgives Ashoka, and asks him to come back to Pataliputra.

Ashoka exposes Helena, who is still alive as Kondana. Siamak is tricked and he kills Helena. Ashoka and Sushim are supposed to marry Kaurvaki and Chanda. Kaurvaki's father, Jagannath insults Bindusara and Dharma and asks the throne of Magadha. Ashoka is enraged and marries Devi, calling off his marriage with Kaurvaki. Dharma is killed by Sushim and Bindusara also dies due a cardiac arrest caused by Charumitra's blackmagic, leaving Ashoka broken. He suspects Siamak to be Dharma's murderer and kills him. Sushim stabs Charumitra to death, mistaking her to be Kaurvaki. Khallatak teams up with Ashok. Sushim confesses his crimes. After a fierce war, Sushim falls into a lava pit and dies. Later Chanda Curses Ashok as she was Pregnant. Ashoka is crowned as the third emperor of Magadha. Devi was about to leave but stays learning that she is pregnant. Devi Informs Ashok about her pregnancy and stays with kaurvaki.

Months later, Devi gives birth to their son, Mahindra and later their daughter, Sanghamitta. Ashoka captures Kalinga and draws a massive amount of bloodshed, killing millions of people. An injured Kaurvaki tells ashok that this is not the Akhand Bharat that Chanakya and Chandragupta wanted. This incident leaves him traumatised at the waste of human lives. He later on, decides to give up violence and embraces Buddhism. With the help of his children and ministers, he propagates the principles of Buddhism around the world for the welfare of mankind and earns the title of "Ashoka the Great", also fulfilling Chanakya's dream of Akhand Bharat (Greater India).

Cast

Main

* Mohit Raina as Ashoka Maurya a.k.a. Chanda: Crown Prince of Magadha (later Emperor of Magadha); Bindusara and Dharma's son; Charumitra, Noor and Subrasi's step-son; Vitashoka's brother; Sushima and Dhrupada's half-brother; Siamak's foster brother; Sushima's arch rival; Justin's nephew; Chandragupta and Durdhara's grandson; Helena's step-grandson; Devi and Kaurvaki's husband; Dhaniram, Jagnnath and Vasudha's son-in-law; Mahinda and Sangamitta's father (2016)
** Siddharth Nigam as Teenage Prince Ashoka Maurya of Magadha (2015-2016)
* Kajol Srivastav as Devi Maurya: Crown Princess of Magadha (later Empress consort of Magadha); Dhaniram's daughter; Ashoka's first wife; Bindusara and Dharma's daughter-in-law; Vitashoka's sister-in-law; Mahinda and Sanghamitta's mother (2016)
* Soumya Seth as Kaurvaki Maurya: Crown Princess of Magadha (later Empress consort of Magadha) (née Princess of Kalinga); Jagannath and Vasudha's daughter; Ashoka's second wife; Bindusara's and Dharma's daughter-in-law; Vitashoka's sister-in-law; Mahinda and Sanghamitta's step-mother (2016)
** Reem Shaikh as Teenage Princess Kaurvaki of Kalinga (2015-2016)
* Pallavi Subhash as Dharma Maurya: former Empress consort of Magadha; Bindusara's second and beloved wife; Chandragupta and Durdhara's daughter-in-law; Ashoka and Vitashoka's mother; Sushima and Dhrupada's step-mother; Siamak's foster mother(2015-2016) (Dead)
* Sameer Dharmadhikari as Bindusara Maurya: Emperor of Magadha; Chandragupta and Durdhara's son; Helena's step-son; Justin's half-brother; Charumitra, Dharma, Noor and Subrasi's husband; Sushima, Ashoka, Dhrupada and Vitashoka's father; Siamak's foster father(2015-2016) (Dead)
* Manoj Joshi as Acharya Chanakya: Chandragupta, Bindusara and Ashoka's teacher and royal advisor; Radhagupta's teacher(2015) (Dead)
* Ankit Arora as Sushima Maurya: former Crown Prince of Magadha; Bindusara and Charumitra's son; Dharma, Noor and Subrasi's step-son; Ashoka, Vitashoka and Dhrupada's half-brother; Siamak's foster brother; Ashoka's arch rival; Justin's nephew; Chandragupta and Durdhara's grandson; Helena's step-grandson; Chanda's husband (2016) (Dead)
** Sumedh Mudgalkar as Teenage Prince Sushima Maurya of Magadha (2015-2016)

Recurring

* Heena Parmar as Chanda Maurya: former Crown Princess of Magadha: Sushima's wife; Bindusara and Charumitra's daughter-in-law (2016)
* Prinal Oberoi as Charumitra Maurya: former Empress consort of Magadha; Bindusara's first wife; Chandragupta and Durdhara's daughter-in-law; Sushima's mother; Ashoka, Vitashoka and Dhrupada's step-mother; Siamak's foster mother(2015-2016) (Dead)
* Ankita Sharma as Noor Maurya: former Empress consort of Magadha (née Khorasan); Khorason's daughter; Bindusara's third wife; Justin's secret lover; Chandragupta and Durdhara's daughter-in-law; Sushima, Ashoka, Vitashoka and Dhrupada's step-mother; Siamak's mother (2015) (Dead)
* Preet Kaur Madhan as Subrasi Maurya: former Empress consort of Magadha; Bindusara's fourth wife; Chandragupta and Durdhara's daughter-in-law; Dhrupada's mother; Sushima, Ashoka, Vitashoka's step-mother; Siamak's foster mother (2015-2016)
* Arhaan Behll as Chandragupta Maurya: former Emperor of Magadha; Durdhara and Helena's husband; Seleucus's son-in-law; Bindusara and Justin's father; Charumitra, Dharma, Noor and Subrasi's father-in-law; Sushima, Ashoka, Vitashoka, Dhrupada and Siamak's grandfather (2015) (Dead)
* Suzanne Bernert as Helena Maurya: former Empress consort of Magadha (née Princess of Greece); Seleucus's daughter; Chandragupta's second wife; Justin's mother, Bindusara's step-mother; Siamak's grandmother; Sushima, Ashoka, Vitashoka and Dhrupada's step-grandmother (2015-2016) (Dead)
* Dev Singhal as Prince Vitashoka Maurya of Magadha a.k.a. Vita: Bindusara and Dharma's younger son; Ashoka's brother; Sushima and Dhrupada's half-brother(2016)
* Ayaan Zubair Rahmani as Prince Dhrupada: Bindusara and Subrasi's son; Sushima, Ashoka and Vitashoka's half-brother. (2015–2016) (Dead)
* Sumit Kaul as Prince Justin Maurya: Chandragupta and Helena's son; Bindusara's half-brother; Noor's secret lover; Agnishika's ex-fiancé; Siamak's father. (2015) (Dead)
** Dev Singhal as young prince Justin
* Abhiram Nain as Prince Siamak Maurya: Justin and Noor's son; Bindusara's foster son; Sushima, Ashoka, Dhrupada and Vitashoka's cousin. (2016) (Dead)
** MD Faizan Khan as Child Prince Siamak (2015–2016)
* Tripti Shukla as Princess Ahenkara: Princess of Ujjain; Niharika and Rajiraj's daughter; Aghnishika's cousin; Sushima's former love interest and fiancee, Ashoka's Friend (2015)
* Jitendra Bohra / Dakssh Ajit Singh as Acharya Radhagupta: Chanakya's disciple; Ashoka's prime minister and teacher. (2015–2016)/(2016)
* Manoj Kolhatkar as Mahamatya Khallataka: Bindusara's Prime Minister; Sushima's supporter turned Ashoka's helper. (2015–2016)
* Jaswant Menaria as Nayak: Keechak former commander; Ashoka's supporter. (2016) (Dead)
* Vikrant Chaturvedi as Mir Khorason: Bindusara's former commander; Noor's father; Siamak's grandfather. (2015–2016) (Dead)
* Tej Sapru as Seleucus I Nicator: Helena's father; Justin's grandfather; Siamak's great-grandfather. (2015–2016) (Dead)
* Manoj Verma as King Jagannath: King of Kalinga; Vasudha's husband; Kaurvaki's father. (2016)
* Alefia Kapadia as Queen Vasudha: Queen of Kalinga; Jagannath's wife; Kaurvaki's mother. (2016) (Dead)
* Sachin Verma as Acharya Akramaka: Ashoka's guru in Royal Academy. (2015) (Dead)
*Rajesh Khera as Acharya Devratha: Ashoka's guru in Taxila.(2015–2016) (Dead)
* Yashashri Masurkar as Princess Agnishika: Shaktiraj's daughter; Ahenkara's cousin; Justin's ex-fiancée. (2015) (Dead)
* Tapasya Nayak Srivastava as Queen Niharika: Queen of Ujjain; Rajadiraj's wife; Ahenkara's mother. (2015) (Dead)
* Shailesh Dattar as Amatya Ugrasain: Justin and Helena's spy. (2015) (Dead)
* Sudhanshu Pandey as Raja Keechaka: Former king of Taxila; Vasantsena's brother; Bahamani's husband. (2015–2016) (Dead)
* Monica Sehgal as Rani Bahamani: Queen of Taxila; Keechak's widow. (2015–2016)
* Amit Behl as Amatya Rakshas: Helena and Keechak's helper. (2015–2016)
* Sonal Parihar as Nirjhara: Chanakya's spy. (2015) (Dead)
* Praveen Kaur as Kasturi: Chanakya's spy and Dharma's helper. (2015–2016) (Dead)
* Rumi Khan as Daastan: Noor's ex-lover. (2015) (Dead)
* Harsh Khurana as Uttara: Kondana's right hand. (2016) (Dead)
* Anand Goradia as Agnibahu: Keechak's ministry. (2015–2016)
* Mayank Gandhi as Virat as Ashoka's protector. (2016)

Production and promotion

The set was erected in Karjat. The show was produced by Contiloe Entertainment. A team of at least 500 people worked on the series. Episodes were shot across Jaisalmer, Kerala, Mumbai's Film City and Karjat. A lightman died on the set in April 2015.

''Chakravartin Ashoka Samrat ''was promoted on the comedy show Comedy Nights with Kapil on the occasion of Maha Shivaratri in February 2015 A game app "Ashoka:The Game" was launched by Colors TV in April 2015.

Awards

Critical reception

''The Times of India'' praised Ashok Banker's reconstruction filled historical gaps and stated that they provide "interesting fictional turns" for the show.

''Bollywood Life'' reviewer, Letty Mariam Abraham, gave the show 3 out of 5 stars; praising the sets, visual effects and production value of the show. She further heaped praise on child prodigy Siddharth Nigam as "undoubtedly a brilliant actor"; stating that "his agile body makes him the perfect actor for the role." Abraham gave her final verdict as "the show looks promising but has a lot of scope for improvement. I'd recommend that people watch this historical drama for Siddharth Nigam and the special effects of the show."

India.com reviewer, Prathamesh Jadhav, stated "going by the opening episode we must confess that this elaborate drama looks rather promising with its interesting tale." He further stated, "What we liked though is the visuals and the diligence that has been put in by the special effects and VFX team. The work is seriously commendable." He gave his final verdict as "going by what we have seen nit one must admit that the show looks promising with its actors, its sets and the details that have gone into making a tele-series of this nature."

Additionally it has been known to imitate its style and fictional characters from Game of Thrones.

International broadcast

* In Myanmar, it airs under the title "ဘုန်းမီးနေလ မဟာအသောက" on 5 plus.
* In Cambodia, it airs under the title ''ព្រះបាទអសោក'' on Cambodian Television Network.
* In Indonesia, it began airing under the title, ''Ashoka'' on 11 May 2015 on antv.
* In Sri Lanka, it airs under the title, Adiraja Dharmashoka on TV Derana from 23 May 2015.
* in Thailand, it airs under the title, ''อโศกมหาราช'' on Channel 3 Family
* in Vietnam it airs under the title, ''Ashoka Đại Đế'' on THVL1 at 12h00 trưa
* in Ghana under the title Ashoka Samrat on Joy Prime.
* in Kenya on KBC under the title Ashoka at 1830 hours.
* In South Africa, it began airing under the title, ''Emperor Ashoka'' in 2021 on glowtv at 19h00CAT.

See also

* Chandragupta Maurya (2011 TV series)
* Chanakya (TV series)
* Bharatvarsh (TV series)
* Chandra Nandini
*Aśoka (film)

References

External links

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{{Colors Programmes

Indian historical television series
Indian period television series
Colors TV original programming
Hindi-language television shows
Indian drama television series
2015 Indian television series debuts
2016 Indian television series endings
Works about Ashoka
Cultural depictions of Ashoka